9/13 Season Two, Episode 12: Ship of Spies-Scarecrow and Mrs King

Back in Amanda’s cabin, we find Amanda sitting on her couch and Lee removing his jacket from her shoulders..Lee: Are you all right?Amanda: Yes, I’ll be just fine.Lee: Are you sure?Amanda: Yes, I’m positive.Lee: All right. Now, would you please tell us why you were up on that boom?Amanda: Well, I was sitting in the bar just, you know, relaxing and enjoying my drink… [her tenth ]Lee: Amanda, please…
…just about the boom. [Big boom boom?!]Amanda: Right. Okay. I thought lifeboat C. [That’s lifeboat K for Claudia and anyone else watching in German- LOL!!! ]

Wait a minute.. before Lee hurried Amanda along- she had started telling her story from the beginning.. from sitting in the bar enjoying her drink- if Lee had not hurried her up to the part with the boom, Amanda would have told Lee about Myles and the lifeboat seating – which could have provoked someone (anyone!) to suggest that this was a set up and that Myles is a crazy stalker because he is a bad guy! Well Lee there is some motivation to not rush Amanda along with her story next time!

Amanda continues: …Seat 24… [Lee gives a little smile on hearing this. Why do you think? my guess is he’s thinking: Ohh that does make sense!] …There was just no easy way to get up to that boat, [so you shouldn’t have flippin done it!! sneakers or no sneakers!!] …so I didn’t even look over the edge of theship, I just climbed up the rail and then I grabbed hold with one hand and I grabbed hold with the other hand and then all of a sudden I just swung out.

KJ’s expressions here again- Fabulous!!! KJ I hope you one day read this and know what a fantastic job you did and people are still enjoying it to this day!! Actually, maybe she shouldn’t read this.. she might have loved her headbands and not appreciate the nark! Lee levels at Amanda saying slowly and seriously: And you were lucky you weren’t killed…

…You know that?Awhhh!!! Lee speaks calmly here, not losing his temper. Amanda looks suitably chastened!! 🙂 This new attitude of Lee’s is very swoony! I think in the past, Lee’s response to Amanda putting herself in danger was reflexive anger – but here.. he is much more concerned for her… and he doesn’t just resort immediately to anger to show he was terrified! I think this is a little sign that Lee is maturing in identifying and expressing his emotions: which is just as well because a big earthquake in the Lee psyche is about to take place!!!

Amanda’s white dress looks gorgeous when she is sitting down like that! I want that dress!
Actually.. now I think about it- I think it would make a gorgeous wedding dress!!!! (sans sneakers )

Emiliano [whooo!! I completely forgot he was there! ] points out that maybe it wasn’t an accident.. maybe they’ve been exposed..Lee: In that case, we can’t afford to take any more chances. We’ve gotta get Amanda off this ship.

[First thought? Amanda’s safety.. Case? Second! swoon!]Amanda: Um, excuse me, but, Lee, if I leave, won’t that blow your cover?Lee: It may have already been blown. It’s just too dangerous to have you on board.

Amanda: But Emiliano said that the funds were being funnelled through San Angelo. And if that’s true, I don’t think I’d be much safer there alone.

Emiliano: She is right, you know. [Bless him!!]Lee: Mmmm….Amanda: Except if I stay with you…

(Lee looks at Amanda..) [ I think he knows what’s coming..]

…..does that mean that…

…. when we get to San Angelo in the morning we…..Lee: -we’ll have to get married.

Lee looks terrified.. and then.. resigned!
I love Amanda’s reaction..
This must be a real shock to ladies’ man Lee.. just look at how little Amanda wants to go through with this wedding! Lee doesn’t want to ask this of her.. but there seems to be no way out.. curious..

I must say Lee’s reaction to this getting married thing is interesting. Clearly he is not looking forward to it, and he never thought they would have to go that far. At the same time – so what Lee? Why does it matter so much to you? I would LOVE to hear what you all think!!!

Is it that he doesn’t want Amanda to have to do this, when he knows she doesn’t want to?? If that’s the case- then why not reassure her it won’t be a real marriage! [as we find out in the tag] Anyone else struggle with the logic here? Not that I mind the lack of logic in this fabulous scenario! haaaa!

Lee seems terrified in his own right though.. and has seemed so throughout the episode.. Does Marriage actually mean something to Lee? I’d guess it does from his reaction! I think his conduct during the ceremony many shed a little light here..

I do think this whole subplot which plays out is a great big fan service: whooo let’s tease them that they are really married!! Ugh!! I can just imagine the promos leading up to this episode.. I would have been in a fan frenzy!!!

What mental gymnastics can we do here to make sense of this? Or – is there a simple explanation?? do tell!!!! If I were to get all Freudian.. Could it be that Lee is worried about what going through the ceremony with Amanda would do to him? ie. Would his unconscious drives be revealed?
How he will cope? Will he reveal too much?

I know we all see their journey a little differently, but for me at this point (before the wedding): I don’t think Lee knows there is anything to reveal! !

Is he worried he will have to kiss Amanda again? After all – why not give her a quick kiss when Myles asked for a kiss photo? … Maybe the last time he kissed her it affected him so he is hesitant to go there again…?

Anyone shed some light on this?? or .. anyone else puzzled?? It is a fun topic to ponder! LOL!

Lastly, Little things amuse me! .. it seems someone redecorated Amanda’s room while they were out! Soooo suspicious!! This is definitely Amanda’s room and not Lee’s as his bed is on the right of his room and Amanda’s was on the left (only the wall separated them.. )

In this scene, Emiliano sits on Amanda’s bed.. Amanda sits on the couch, and Lee leans on the dresser..

See the wall behind Lee was originally bare.Then, this picture shows up behind Lee, a map…. Which was originally on the wall behind the dresser,.. replaced by a big painting.. weird!
Maybe they had to come back and redo the scene after the set had been pulled apart or something.. but weird!That is one magically weird room!

Anyway, I shall finish up there.. so we can get straight into the wedding next post squeeeeeeeee!!! I am really looking forward to hearing your pearls of wisdom guys!!!!Byeeee!

>Actually.. now I think about it- I think it would make a gorgeous wedding dress!!!!<
This made me laugh, because I thought the same thing, until I heard my mother's voice inside my head, saying, "No dress that makes such a big show of your nipples is appropriate for a wedding!" (My mother has very definite ideas about what's right and wrong for a wedding.)

I agree! I love this white dress of Amanda’s, it is one of my favorites. I’ve noticed that in many episodes that Amanda goes bra-less – even if it was a long sleeved shirt or sweater. I’m wondering if that’s a holdover on KJ’s part from the 70’s. I’m a little young to remember this, but I think it was during the 70’s that women in the US tended to go bra-less?

Amanda’s face says it all “craaaaaaaaaaap I am really going to have to go through with it” too funny!

It’s funny how Lee has no issue playing a married couple but having to go through an actual ceremony is a different kettle of fish. Why? I do think we can be influenced by our own parents marriage, maybe Lee remembers how happily married his parents were and sees it as a big deal. Something that two people who really love each other do. It represents a deeper type of relationship to his endless parade of throwaway girlfriends. Look how he was *ahem* moved after the close contact in Filming Raul, his expression after the cover kiss in Sudden Death…….is he frightened of being exposed to those emotions again? All food for thought 🙂
Can’t wait to get to the next scene woo hoo!!!!!!!

I can’t wait for the wedding post. I LOVE watching the clergyman. The eye roll and closed eyes when Lee fumbles with the rings is hilarious!!
I can’t begin to tell you all how happy I am to have found such a great SMK fan base out there. I’ve loved this show forever, but most of my friends never watched it. It’s so great to be able to obsess over it with others who feel the same way! 🙂

Hi guys!Rachael, you make a good point – it was a plot device designed to increase the intensity of the situation.. I can’t complain about that- because it’s such a fabulous moment between them! 🙂

I think either way you look at it – it wasn’t really explained very well in the episode – but maybe we can get to that when it is tag time! – stay tuned! not long now!!

You make a good point though Rachael, when it comes to Lee and his thinking with Amanda – he isn’t always logical – and it is fabulous 😉 !!
Haaa yes true Rachael, sometimes things don’t make logical sense because the character is not making logical sense – and that’s part of the narrative..
At other times.. they aren’t making sense because of a re-write in the script.. a plot hole.. an episode re-ordering or lack of continuity.
And sometimes.. if we put our heads together we can figure out that there is a logic to it after all 😉 and I love to figure this all out together with you all!!

For a show which on the surface is an 80s simplistic spy/romantic drama.. it can have pretty complicated subtext, story lines, and story logic – sometimes because they don’t explain things in the plot enough (IMHO) – they just expect us to go with the flow – LOL!! well.. I’ve showed them!! 😉 haaaa.. I find trying to follow the logic fun – as often it brings rewards of it’s own – extra insight into the story, and the characters – which wasn’t immediately obvious to me the first time I saw an episode or something – SMK is still full of surprises! 🙂

ROFL Rachael – it’s ‘crazy fun’ to watch me try my luck at mental gymnastics eh?! haaaa.. well do join in anytime!! I sometimes strain a muscle or two and need some help! 🙂 tee heeee…

Hi Melissa! Yeah! Fan service!!! indeed!! 😉 and I love it!!

Raffie, I am 100% agreeing with your insights – I think alot of Lee’s reaction is about ‘Marriage’.. not just about his chemistry with Amanda – although, that is there too! I’ll put my thoughts together on that at the end.. but loved loved loved your insights! 🙂

Ha haaaaa! yes!!! Rachael the clergyman is hilarious!!! And much less annoying than the comedy element in the character’s Do You Take This Spy? marriage ( that old lady is too annoying for words to me!)

I don’t think real logic plays a part in Lee not telling Amanda that there could be an out for them as far as a real marriage. The SMK writers knew that it would work better dramatically for the characters to be worried that they’d have to go through with a real wedding. By bringing it up at the end that he used aliases for the ceremony (when we hear the priest say his name, we just assume he mispronounces Lee’s last name), we can be led to believe it was a last minute decision that he was able to come up with.
Although their friendship is solidifying in season two, I think anytime the idea of a cover kiss or intimate cover relationship with Amanda scares Lee a bit because he is battling feelings for Amanda that should not be present due to the fact that there relationship is supposed to be based on a working relationship. He won’t admit to himself that he has feelings for Amanda (and vice-versa for Amanda), but he definitely has moments of confusion about it. Season two has many moments where we catch them touching or locking eyes, and immediately see both try to recover from the intimate moment. Happens over and over again in season two. Just look at Affair at Bromfield Hall and The Legend of Das Geisterschloss.
I really think if the show always worked out a case or scene logically in SMK world, the scenes wouldn’t be nearly as interesting. Plus, it’s crazy fun to see you dissect a scene when the logic is questioned! 🙂

Yeah, what she said! I too vote with everyone else that the fake name was a last minute idea … since he never thought it would get that far. It’s amusing to think of free-living, free-loving Lee as being petrified of the thought of marriage = true love (and maybe a touch sad, too). So I think a small part of his reaction was to marriage in general, but a much bigger part of the reaction was to marriage to Amanda specifically. I agree, Rachael, about the undercurrent of feelings in S2 and Lee not wanting to do anything that might make them bubble to the surface, most certainly not a wedding!!

Looking forward to the wedding scene, not just for all the good L&A moments, but I think the clergyman performing the ceremony is hysterical. I rewind his part of this scene as many times as I rewind L&A’s … and I always LOL. But I’m jumping ahead, just can’t help myself!!

Oh, and I just want to add a welcome to the new names I’ve been seeing pop up here the past couple of weeks. It’s so great to have lots of people exchanging thoughts, especially with all the details and great questions that iwsod uncovers. In depth SMK analysis is so much fun!

Poor Lee, it must have been a real blow to the ego to realize that Amanda most definitely does not want to go through the ceremony.
RE: Not letting her in on the phony marriage, I always assumed Lee came up with the ruse at the last minute and had no time to warn her. Of course, I will excuse their faulty plot logic, just this once 😉

My thoughts exactly, Cindy. I always assumed Lee came up with the bogus paperwork idea when it became apparent he wasn’t getting out of this one. It still doesn’t explain why he couldn’t have informed Amanda of his “out.” Unless the idea was to torture the poor woman with thinking they’d really married for as long as possible, and I like to think a little more highly of Lee than that!

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